


Brother Knows Best

by seekingjets (0fsilver)



Series: Bad Business [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bad Business au, Fraternization, Humanformers, M/M, Mild Language, Not Beta Read, TC loves his brothers, Transformers as Humans, brotherly bullying, but his brothers are trying to kill each other, cybertron - earth au, pre megatron/starscream, the author's inability to write love advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 10:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14259129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0fsilver/pseuds/seekingjets
Summary: Starscream hasn't left their couch in two days and Thundercracker didn't expect their Boss to be at fault.aka: TC wishes he didn't ask.---Prequel to Sugar Coating. Neither have to be read first.





	Brother Knows Best

**Author's Note:**

> Human au. Set in earth-a-nized(?) Cybertron. Why? Because it’s easier for me to write.
> 
> A domestically challenged short, before the terrible-bad-no-good-naughty break up implied in: "around midnight".
> 
> Please excuse any egregious grammatical errors and misspellings, I’m never one to edit past a general review.
> 
> \---
> 
> So here’s a note. Thundercracker, Starscream and Skywarp are in no way related in this human-verse despite calling one another brothers. The idea that they were raised together due to familial ties is what I’m going with here, but raised together that way everyone called them “Brothers”, so that’s what they call one another. 
> 
> But Skywarp and Thundercracker are considered in a relationship, so please do not misunderstand that as incest / adopted incest/ they have never misunderstood their relationships. This is not some Loki Thor situation.

Skywarp and Thundercracker have dealt with Starscream’s antics for most of their lives. There was a reason they were called “brothers”. Raised in the same house, sent to the same schools and told to look after one another. Thundercracker, being the oldest, had taken that responsibility to heart since he was three and held up by his mother to look into Starscream’s crib: the angry, red-faced thing angry because it had no control over his life. Then Skywarp came along not shortly after and Thundercracker couldn’t recall a day in his childhood that didn’t consist of holding one or both of their hands. 

Especially when he moved into the Seeker household where Skywarp cried because “now they couldn’t get married” and Starscream drawing a line around his toys to make sure no one took them. Twenty years later, he’s still watching after them. Twenty years later they’re still “Brothers” though there’s not a drop of blood between them (which would change certain relationships drastically between Warp and he) and he really shouldn’t let the petty, knee-jerk reaction of having been raised to closely with Starscream be his first reaction…but even his patience had limits.

“Get off our couch!” Starscream has little time to duck the pillow swinging wide to smack into his face: the shrill cry of pain worth it to make his agitation finally known. “You’ve been here two days!” 

“You struck me?!” Star is grabbing at his face checking for a broken nose or some exaggerated expectation of injury to his precious face. 

“Duh!” He tries to hit him again but Starscream is prepared, clutching the pillow and trying to drag it out of Thundercracker’s grip. They struggle back and forth but briefly as Starscream was never as strong as his brother, finding a battle lost as TC ripped the pillow back and beat him again over the head before he could run for cover.

“Skywarp! Thundercracker has lost his mind!” Stars yells down the hall to escape, TC on his heels, bursting into Warp’s room where the youngest was getting up to check on the ruckus. 

“WhaAH!” They collide before either can stop it and TC is left to witness the painful way in which Star’s chin smacks into Warp’s skull before they go tumbling to the ground. Flying limbs and smacking hands. “Get off me!” 

“Get your elbow out of my eye!” 

“That’s physically impossible!” 

“Not for an idiot!” Sounds of pinched arms and slaps follow. 

“TC!” 

“Thundercracker!” 

“Enough!” He throws himself into the fray, now with that trained elder-brother mentality leading him on. Grabbing someone’s ankle and a wrist trying to pull the two apart. It really only leads to having Starscream trapped under a leg and Skywarp trying to bite the middle Seeker while Thundercracker holds him in a headlock. 

“He started it!” Honestly TC wasn’t sure who said it first, but after twenty years the younger Seeker’s voices were practically indistinguishable when trying to get out of trouble. 

“And I’m finishing it!”

It takes ten minutes to wrestle them into submission, letting Starscream sneak away to perch on their bed while he remains on the floor with Warp. The youngest sitting behind him, digging his chin into Thundercracker’s shoulder and making faces at Starscream whenever they made eye contact. It didn’t help that Star also kept baring his teeth like some feral cat in return. 

It was always nice to spend time with Starscream, the past few years he’d drifted apart from them after his Father’s death and the sale to the Decepticon corporation. The two had once believed this would bring Star closer, give him a reason to want to be near his oldest friends for comfort or maybe...to fight the obvious loneliness but it seemed to have done the opposite. In just two years Starscream had more corporate power and than anyone with his bad attitude deserved and their new boss, Megatron, seemed to think it was a casual thing to keep spoiling him.

Megatron. Was. An interesting man. He recalls the day Starscream invited Warp and he to the Seeker estate, told them to “grab what you want to keep, I’m locking the doors and we’re moving to Iacon” without much of an explanation than that. A week later they met Megatron in his tall black tower of a skyscraper, being introduced as Starscream’s /assistants/ and made a job offer without discussing anything further. It was startling to know Starscream had made these decisions on his own, having sold Seeker Air-Command without even consulting a lawyer. But. It was his legacy to do with what he pleased. TC and Warp sometimes felt they were just along for the ride. 

Two years after being hired, something certainly changed. Star spending more time in the upper offices instead of below in the labs or on their work-site. You know. What he was hired for. Instead of directing development projects he was wearing sharp suits and following Megatron around with a shiny gold pin on his lapel to match the logo on the building. 

Warp and he really felt something was off, tired of waiting for Starscream one evening after work (their “brother” having promised to go with them to dinner) and went searching for him. Finding Starscream alright, but he wasn’t alone. Megatron was there, innocently talking on first glance as they shared the compact couch decorating the office. It wasn’t until Warp pointed out Megatron had a handful of Starscream’s thigh - tracing small shapes against the seam of the slacks did either realize something more was going on.

They took three steps back and allowed Starscream a chance to hear them coming before “entering”. This time Megatron was alone on the couch looking...clearly interrupted which their brother scolded them for not knocking. 

Then yesterday Starscream arrived at Warp and his home, lying about needing to discuss something with them, asked for some wine and had yet to leave the couch since. He wasn’t even talking, just offering annoying sounds when TC or Warp tried to approach. Warp had gotten bored of this quickly and went to their room, hiding with headphones and a game console but TC couldn’t help but become increasingly annoyed by the situation.

Starscream wasn’t talking about /what/ had caused him to revert into a pouting teenager and TC wasn’t about to let him get away with that.

“Can we try to have a conversation, like adults?” Both Seekers made faces. “Or I can throw you both out. “

“You can’t do that!” 

“Try it!” 

The look he gave them both was enough proof that he would and could and was really considering it.

“Why am I in trouble, Starscream is the disturbing our home.” Skywarp sneered once more and TC waited for the inevitable return to screeching. “Won’t even tell us what’s wrong, just drank /all/ our wine and stunk up the place.” 

“Nothing’s wrong!” He defend and pulled arms across his chest. “And even if something were I wouldn’t come running to you two idiots.” 

“So you’re here because you missed us?” 

“No.” 

“Then something’s wrong?”

“No.” 

Thundercracker managed to stop Skywarp from hurling a nearby shoe at their brother’s head. 

“Is it Megatron?!” Thundercracker asks, more out of annoyance and the hope that he can embarrass Starscream with the thought. Maybe that will be enough to at least make Starscream lie about a better reason rather that whatever he’s pouting about for two days. TC wasn’t about to deal with another hour of his smoking habits (Told him not to start. Told him that it didn’t make him “look cool” but the idiot got addicted anyways!) and interrupting their lives. 

“Oh. My. God.” Skywarp called out, pointing accusingly at the other. Starscream had a look of utter horror across his face, skin dark and flushed to his hairline as he was faced with his brothers’ mutually stunned looks. For the first time since TC had known him, Starscream was quiet. “It IS MEGATRON!” 

“No! Shut up! I’m leaving!” Starscream tried to make a break for it but TC had already let Warp go, letting the other catch Starscream by the legs as he made it to the hall. There was another loud THUMP as they crashed, more shrieking and cursing while Thundercracker had to take a moment. Collect his thoughts, and go wrestle his brother into sharing feelings. 

…

The hall barely fit the puzzle piece they’d made themselves into. With Thundercracker holding Starscream in a crooked hug, Skywarp laying across once-kicking legs, they certainly made a trio of idiots. Star threatening them within an inch of their life, Skywarp already having made up three songs about Megatron and Starscream getting married in a tree, and TC deciding if he didn’t love them both very much he would remove himself from their company and never return. 

Why did he have to care about them? 

“C’mon Star, start talking or I’m going to tickle your toes.” Warp threatened.

“You stay away from my feet you ingrate!” Tries to kick again but Warp has him tight. “Thundercracker!?”

“Ok Warp, stop. You too Screamer.” Star hisses at the nickname. “We’re worried about you! You have to talk to us.” 

“I don’t have to do anythiGET OFF MY FOOT WARP!” 

“Gonna tickly your toes.” 

“Warp stop!” 

..

Twenty minutes later Skywarp has a bag of peas on his face from where Starscream kicked him in the head, and Thundercracker has had it with the two. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop sitting on Starscream where he’s been trapped on the couch. Certainly upset that Warp got hurt, he can’t exactly feel too sorry for him. He was warned and he dared to keep pushing. But pushing was all they could do with Starscream. It felt like all that was left or else giving up was an option TC hadn’t wanted to consider. He knew, despite the fighting of the two, that Warp felt the same. Neither wanted Starscream drifting away. 

“You’re fat! Warp, what are you feeding him?” Starscream complains, settled at least and no longer fighting against the fully grown man sitting in his lap keeping him pinned. 

“Mostly instant mash potatoes.” Warp adjusted the frozen bag on his skull so Star could see him grin. Starscream just rolled his eyes in response. “So. You gonna let us in on what’s going on with Megatron?” 

“It’s none of your business.” Early aggressive response could mean anything. It could mean Megatron made a comment Star took as shitty or something terrible happened and his younger brother wasn't going to share. Literally everything was on the same scale of importance with Starscream. It’s what caused the man to have plenty of crashes during school and if TC could help it, he’d like to avoid another one that would directly influence their livelihoods. Especially if it involved someone like Megatron. 

“He seems to like you?” Thundercracker attempts, deciding not to outright ask “are you sleeping with the boss” because he’s both afraid to ask, and hopes the answer is no. 

“Yes well, I am an asset to his fold.” Not untrue but not what Thundercracker was wanting to hear. 

“Do you like him?” The man looks strangled and this catches Warp’s attention, lowering the bag of peas to take in Starscream’s full discomfort.

“It’s ok if you like him. Maybe. We’re not saying you can’t. I mean. I think there’s a law saying you can’t, or at least a rule. But I guess he’s the boss...so he can remakes rules. Unless the law is he can’t remake rules?” He thinks back to walking in on them in Starscream’s office, the comfort in which they spoke so closely together. That Megatron was allowed to touch Starscream without the man slapping him away like oh-so-many others. Starscream didn’t like being touched, it was the one thing Warp and he could get away with as brothers-not-brothers but they’d both seen Starscream lash out at unwelcome contact. 

“No I don’t like him.” TC would be relieved if it wasn’t an obvious lie. If Starscream’s face hadn’t maintained it’s angry flush from early, only increasing the longer they speak about Megatron. “He’s an idiot.” 

“Do you want him to like you?” Warp offers and dares to poke a finger against Star’s hip, no reaction which is rare. “I mean that’s cool too. He’s like. Totally hot.” Thundercracker and Starscream wheel their heads around to glare at Skywarp, for two entirely different reasons. “Look, I have eyes ok? Just because he’s not my type doesn’t mean I cannot appreciate we have a gray fox as our boss.” It’s a miracle in itself that Warp does not proclaim Megatron a “daddy” just to make the two shrivel in horror. 

TC does give him a look that says “You and I are going to talk about this later” but that doesn’t have much of an affect on the man. 

“Will you two stop! I don’t want him to like me! What are you, twelve?” 

“Then why are you being so whiny over him!?” Warp already reaching his threshold. Thundercracker held tighter onto Starscream in case he started kicking again. Skywarp didn’t need two black eyes.

“I’m not being whiny! I’m pissed off!” 

“Then why are you pissed off?!” Skywarp was already in Starscream’s face which they knew he absolutely hated.

“Because he invited Nightbird to the cybernetics banquet and not me!” 

Thundercracker and Warp just looked at each other, trying to gauge their responses in each other’s expressions. Unfortunately Warp spoke first.

“Screamer, I think that means you’re a creep.” 

Starscream tried to bite Warp’s nose off.

…

The relocated once more, Starscream promising not to attack Warp again if he promised to stay on /his/ side of the kitchen island. Warp agreed and even went as far as to break out the hard liquor they were hiding from Starscream the moment he began chugging their wine. He was absolutely terrible at proportion control so it was mostly gin with a whisper of juice, but being incapable of making weak drinks was a talent shared also by Starscream (his coffee able to burn the rust off any engine) so it was almost like a truce. 

Not that Star wanted to talk, but maybe they’d have some luck if he was too busy trying to convince Warp he wasn’t a stalker and simply liking someone was the better option. Maybe.

“Honest table?” Thundercracker asked, a truce Starscream’s parents would have them agree to if something happened and they needed to know which child running around the estate was responsible. Honest table, means you can be honest and there will be no punishment - only resolution. He put his hand in across the table’s surface.

Warp joined, laying his hand overtop, both looked at Starscream with high expectations. 

“Fine.” Bitterly he put his hand just long enough to agree and went back to having them folded tight over his chest. Leaning into the brick wall side of their kitchen trying to find something out the nearest window to distract himself with and make the conversation bearable. BUT it was a start.

“Are you…” Thundercracker couldn’t believe he was about to ask this. “Having any sort of, um, do you and...has our boss and you…” He couldn’t do it.

“Am I boning Megatron?” Star asked for him with a certain joy in making TC wince. “No.” 

“Ok to clarify, is he boning you?” TC kicked Warp’s leg before Starscream could think to lunge. “I want to make sure we’re being thorough!” He whined. “Sorry.” 

“Not accepted.” Star huffed. “ But no. NO boning. NO sex. No awkward messy boardroom romps you have to be worried about.” He seemed satisfied at how uneasy TC clearly looked. “I just /assumed/ I would be his guest at this banquet. I am, after all, the one who organized the meeting between he and Doctor Fujiyama. I also am the one who kept tabs on all our current robotics projects AND I am GREAT at parties! ...but he invited the Doctor’s daughter?! She was already going to be there! She’s not so hot!” 

They watch Starscream drink too quickly and pull a face as it likely didn’t feel too good going down a screech scratched throat. Warp actually shares a look of sympathy for his brother, knowing how of all things - recognition is Starscream’s weakest point. If Starscream really did all that (which who knows...their brother was in charge of a striking number of divisions regardless of ability. Most of which were really balanced by his first underling.) then perhaps it was a little unfair...if going to the party was the real issue.

And not that glaring fact that Megatron didn’t invite him on a date. 

Things were about to get complicated. Thundercracker worried even Warp’s heavy handed pour of a drink wouldn’t be strong enough.

“I’m sure he had his reasons…”

“Don’t defend him!”

“BUT! Maybe, just, possibly it had nothing to do with making you upset?” Starscream stared like he couldn’t fathom the words coming out of his brother’s mouth. “Ok just, we’re trying to make friends aren’t we? Isn’t that what this whole banquet is about? It could just be Megatron trying to be polite?”

“That man doesn’t have a charming bone in his body.” Thundercracker signed while Warp struggled not to giggle at the word “bone”. “Besides. She rejected him. SO much for his act of courtesy.” He jumped when both Seekers slapped their palms on the table. “What?!” 

“He’s not even going with her!?” Warp demanded.

“No, she was already going and didn’t need an escort. I told you---”

“Then why are you pissed!?” TC couldn’t believe it. All this for nothing!? How could Starscream be so….soo….HIMSELF about this!?

“Because he still asked her to go!” 

“But he’s not going with her!”

“So!?”

“SO ASK HIM TO GO WITH YOU!” 

Star rolled his eyes, suddenly relaxed as he decides he’s clearly not causing any issue here. “You’re not making any sense.” He sighs and TC has to stop /himself/ from lunging at him. “The point is, he should have asked me. It made the most sense, it would have be well-deserved and he DIDN’T!”

“No.” Thundercracker stopped him, trying to temper his voice so he wasn’t just yelling at Star (Even if he wanted to so badly!!) “The point is, you wanted to go /with/ him and got jealous. The point is that you are too embarrassed to ask him now. The point is you LIKE our Boss and I’m pretty sure that’s a terrible idea but you should do it anyways!” Warp agreed, hand patting Thundercracker’s back in comfort while Starscream looked like he was trying to swallow his own tongue to avoid even the smallest signed he heard Thundercracker’s rant. 

It was probably terrible advice to suggest his brother try to seduce, and or, date their boss. Actually it was a terrible idea. Skywarp enjoyed Megatron (clearly so much as finding him attractive) and thought nothing of their work in seemingly all possible facets of industry. Megatron had wanted Seeker Air Command because he claimed to want to branch off into aerospace engineering...but they made more military weapons to go on those planes than anything. 

He had some concerns, but looking at how miserable his brother was at the mere thought of Megatron not appreciating all Starscream was doing for him. For Decepticon. He found his opinion a little bias.

“Screamer,” Offered softly and stretched his hand across the table, battling a moment before he could snatch up the man’s wrist to make him listen. “I don’t know what you want from him or...even what he might want from you. But I think if you want to be a little selfish, then go for it.” Megatron was a powerful man, one who had given Starscream, even Thundercracker and Skywarp every possibility under the sun. All he asked for was loyalty and ingenuity in return. He couldn’t say he wasn’t happy working for him. But. There was something between Star and their big scary boss that Thundercracker couldn’t possibly understand. 

He remembered watching them on the evening. How Starscream actually smiled under his attention like it was the only thing he needed. 

“Get it bro,” Warp adds, noticing the distant look in TC’s eyes then suddenly burst out: “OH MY GOD!” 

“What?!” 

“Holyshi--!”

“You should go to the banquet with another date! Make HIM the jealous one!” Warp’s smile split his face in two. Thundercracker wanted to shake him.

“That’s a terrible idea Warp, he should just go to Megatron and…” He looked to Star and was very disappointed in the look of pure glee in their brother’s face. Oh dammit. “Star. No.” 

“Who should it be?” Starscream was up and moving about the kitchen, clearly planning his strategy of attack (and likely whatever open collar suit he was going to flaunt about in) “It has to make sense, so the dunce brothers are out.”

“Please do not go on a date with Ramjet.” TC begged putting his face in his hands. “He still thinks you’re gonna call him. It’s been a year.” 

“It’s gotta be Scrapper.” Warp grinned and TC could hear Starscream’s delight.

“Oh that idiot. Absolutely.” 

“Please don’t pick Scrapper.” TC whined and was ignored watching through his fingers as Warp followed Starscream to the door, encouraging him to wear /whatever/ he wanted. 

“Megatron will be sorry he didn’t think to invite me first. He’ll be alone and I’ll be the talk of the night!” Warp and he high fived, because that was a rare thing they did when getting along. It was notably less damaging than Starscream trying to smack Warp in the face, or Warp trying to push Star down stairs...but just the same it made Thundercracker worry.

“I can’t wait to hear about this Monday,” Warp grinned, narrowly missing being hit by the door as Starscream began his exit. 

“Thank you Thundercracker, you’re a lot smarter than you look!” Warps nods in agreement as their brother carries himself out on his cloud of self-assured victory and Warp shuts the door...and locks every lock.

“Phew, thought he’d never leave.” Skywarp looked proud of himself. Too proud. It reminded him of Star when the man thought he’d won and it was just about to blow up in his face.

“Warp?” TC questioned, a sinking feeling in his gut. “Did you...tell Starscream that just to...make him leave?”

“Absolutely.” 

“Warp!”

“Whaaaat? He’s gone. And now. We have our home back. Besides,” Warp waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. “If Megatron actually wants to bone our bro and Star shows up with a date, he’ll probably not care. I mean. There’s like a line...right?” 

Thundercracker was already pushing past him to try and reach Starscream before their third made it out the building. 

“You idiot we work for a man who makes weapons for a living! Do you think if he actually wants to bone Star he’s gonna be happy seeing him with someone else?” 

Warp paused, considered his actions.

“Oooooh. So that was a bad idea?” 

Thundercracker was pushing him out the door as Starscream disappeared down their apartment stairs...

**Author's Note:**

> Fic's true ending: Warp has to tackle Starscream down the stairs and they both sprain their ankles. TC has never been more relieved to take anyone(s) to the hospital in his LIFE.
> 
> Of course the banquet is out for Starscream, who spends the rest of the weekend eating all their snacks and fighting over the remote with Warp. They're not allowed to walk for a few days and TC has to go into work on Monday and explain to Megatron why his division head isn't there.
> 
> Megatron sends Starscream coral roses to Thundercracker's home and Skywarp ruins it by saying "Ah yes, the boning flower."


End file.
